It’s normally at this stage in the calendar that I’m reminding you to pre-register to attend the Cleaning Show, to avoid wasting valuable networking and discovery time by having to queue at the doors… but this time around my fingers paused over the keyboard…

The last time I recall the Cleaning Show being in London, was when I attended in the late '80s as account manager for the PR firm looking after Jeyes Hygiene/Lever Industrial, long before its many incarnations which have led it to its current one as Sealed Air. Earls Court was busy, buzzing and most of the big names were exhibiting.

I also supported the manufacturer at Interclean in Amsterdam the following year and while it may well have been far bigger than the UK show, I don’t recall an awful lot of difference between the two… but then it was years ago and memories can become distorted over time!

The event moved to the NEC in Birmingham and I attended in the early '90s as editor of Cleaning & Hygiene Today and the latter part of the decade as editor of Cleaning & Maintenance. It still seemed big but it’s become progressively smaller and when I wrote about it in 2009 or 2011 as having been a success, an incredulous reader emailed asking if I was remembering the right show!

Clearly something had to be done to inject new life into the event, so the return to London – for some years mooted by many industry players – may well prove timely. Next Tuesday sees the grand opening of the Cleaning Show at its new home in London’s ExCel – not quite as centrally located as Earls Court but infinitely better when it comes to transport links.

What will we find there? Well I’ve just done a count and 130 exhibitors are listed, which can’t be bad – and there are some big names. There are also some extra attractions planned to add interest and value. Will there be queues? I certainly hope so! I feel that this is ‘make or break’ time for the UK event. We need a show, so let’s all make a point of attending and ensure that it’s a good one.